The Bottom Line
Tricia Thompson, M.S., R.D., is a nutritionist that specializes in Celiac disease. Her book, The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide offers gluten free cooks well-referenced, up-to-date information on how we can improve the nutritional quality of our cooking. Her book addresses the nutritional shortcomings of the gluten free diet and provides tools and solutions that help gluten free cooks prepare healthier foods. If you are as interested as I am in finding ways to improve the nutritional quality of gluten free cooking, you should find this book very helpful.
Pros
- Focus on how to make gluten free diets more nutritious
- 50 recipes submitted by nutrition experts that specialize in Celiac disease
- Descriptions of the most nutritious gluten free grains and flours
- Numerous nutrient charts and tables
- Excellent support and gluten free product resource section
Cons
- Carbohydrate intake on gluten free diets not discussed in length
- Does not include photographs with recipes
- Lacking recipes for daily, whole grain gluten free breads
Description
- Tricia Thompson, M.S., R.D., The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide, McGraw-Hill Co., Inc., 2008
- 245 pages, 6 chapters, appendix, references and index
- Chapter 1: Celiac Disease and the Gluten-free Diet: The Basics
- Chapter 2: Controversial Aspects of the Gluten-Free Diet
- Chapter 3: Identifying Gluten-Free Products
- Chapter 4: Avoiding Nutritional Pitfalls in a Gluten-Free Diet
- Chapter 5: Ensuring a Nutritious Gluten-Free Diet
- Chapter 6: Recipes for Enjoying Gluten-Free Food
- Appendix A: Resources, Appendix B: Reading Food Labels, Appendix C: Gluten-Free Food Products
Guide Review - Review of The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide by Tricia Thompson, M.S., R.D.
As a nutrition-conscious gluten free cook, I find The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide by Tricia Thompson, M.S., R.D. an extremely helpful resource. The book is full of nutritional information- including gluten free food nutrient content charts and tables, descriptions of whole grain gluten free ingredients, where to find GF products and 50 healthy gluten free recipes contributed by nutritionists that specialize in Celiac disease.
Tricia Thompson presents the findings of a recent study that indicates that people on gluten free diets are at risk for certain nutrient deficiencies including iron, calcium and fiber. Deficiencies of these nutrients as well as others, including essential fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins like A, C and E, B vitamins and minerals can have serious long-term health implications for Celiacs.
The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide provides gluten free cooks with many tools to assess the nutritional quality of our gluten free diets, including:
- Guidelines on how to keep food records of what we eat
- Calorie needs and weight control tips
- The nutrient composition of enriched, versus unenriched gluten free grains
- Descriptions of nutritious gluten free grains and seeds and how to use them
- A 7-page table of the calorie, cholesterol, protein, fat, fiber, iron, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate content of gluten free flours and grains
Recipes are divided into the following categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, side dishes, soups and chili, muffins and quick breads and desserts.
A sampling of recipes-- Teff Hot Cereal
- Anne's Piecrust for Savory Fillings
- Alice's Seafood Cakes
- Bean and Kasha Salad
- Susan's Classic Southwestern Chili
- Nancy's Bread Sticks
- Cynthia's Gluten Free Cranberry Muffins
- Mary's Chocolate Caramel Bars
